An overwhelming majority – 70 percent – of consumers either don’t shop online or do so with concerns about their safety while navigating the Internet according to the most recent survey of computer users from IT security expert Avira. During a July 2011 survey of Avira users, just 30 percent of respondents felt secure enough to be worry free as they shop online.

The online shopping survey was presented to Avira’s website visitors during July, 2011 with the question:

Do you feel secure while shopping online?

A) 28.62% - I shop online, but I always fear that my personal data is going to get into the wrong hands.
B) 22.51% - I trust only well known shops or brands like Amazon or iTunes.
C) 18.85% - Due to security concerns, I do not shop online.
D) 15.65% - I am fine as long as the method of paying and the financial transactions are always secure.
E) 14.36% - I feel secure - fraud with online shopping doesn't happen very often.

- 2,945 respondents with a margin of error of +/- 1.81 percent.

“Because of the continued data breaches, phishing attacks, and security vulnerabilities, that get reported on almost every day, consumers have every right to not feel 100 percent safe while they shop online,” said Sorin Mustaca, data security expert from Avira. “I recommend that consumers watch for a few things in order to not become a victim of the online fraudsters:

- Always check that the connection to the online store where the payment is done is secured. This can be observed first if the URL is starting with “https” and second if a small lock is present in the top right corner of the browser in the URL field (in Chrome) or the name of the website is written in a colored rectangle(in Firefox, IE). If the web browser gives any warnings about the security certificate of the website, then do not proceed to purchase anything from that website.

- If you don’t know the website you plan to buy from, always check its reputation. Search for other users who are commenting about that website. Searching for “<website> reputation” usually gives good and relevant results.

- Give your financial details like credit card data only if the website is properly secured and its reputation is good.

- Try to choose payment methods which don’t require payment upfront. If PayPal is an option, choose that whenever possible. Otherwise, if you’ve ensured the safety of the website you’re on and you feel good about its reputation, then pay with a credit card.

- Always double check your bank accounts to make sure the amount you spent is the amount that was charged. If there is a discrepancy, contact the website where you made the purchase.”